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After Dark in the Park Video Archive - January 31, 2017

Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on Earth, has erupted 33 times since 1843, most recently in 1984, when lava flows approached Hilo. Future eruptions could produce fast-moving flows that reach the ocean in a matter of hours. In 2015, the Volcano Alert Level of Mauna Loa was elevated to “ADVISORY.” USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientist Ingrid Johanson provides a brief account of Mauna Loa’s eruptive history, an update on its current status, and an overview of how HVO scientists track activity that might warn of the volcano’s next eruption.